It
seems that fall is quickly coming upon us as we prepare to send kids back to
school in just days! Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was sitting on my porch
watching the Dogwood trees blooming? Today I still feel the heat of summer but
know that soon we will be hearing the sounds of football games being played on
Friday nights.
I’ve
also noticed the frequency of new faces and the return of some familiar faces
to our worship times. I am blessed to have a few moments to connect with most
people in attendance on Sunday, but have lost track of some of our visitors and
members. Have you noticed that happening to you also?
These
circumstances led me to think about the makeup of people who visit the church.
There seem to be five kinds:
1) Persons seeking
surrogate family. These people are separated from their families of origin
by work, school, or military life. They may even be at odds with or divorced
from their family of origin. They want someplace that makes them feel welcome. They
want someplace to belong.
2) Persons seeking an
alternative to the anonymity of the work place and general community. When
it comes to worship and spiritual growth, these people want a setting where
they know and are known by name. They want someplace to belong.
3) Persons weary of self-absorption
and in search of a community story into which they can jump. These seekers
are looking for a story bigger than themselves but still small enough that they
might contribute to the larger story. They want someplace to belong.
4) Persons who have a
score to settle with God but want to settle it in a safe environment. They
are looking to God to make sense of the sudden death of a child, a spouse, or
best friend. They regret the setbacks of their lives and seek to find God’s
presence for their lives. They want someplace to belong.
5) Persons who are
looking for a place to give back for the blessings they have received. Life
has been good to them and they have reached a fork in the road. Will this
person hold on tightly to what God has given to them or will they seek to make
a difference in the lives of those around them? They want someplace to belong.
Do you see yourself in any of these
descriptions? I certainly see myself and am so grateful to the people who
surrounded me with God’s love and allowed me to grow with them. Now the
question becomes, how will the church respond to the new visitor? Will there be
room at the table? Will we invite, nurture and help all people seeking a
relationship with God to grow with us? Or will we seek to remain comfortable
and complacent?
I believe all persons have a place at Christ’s table and I
have personally witnessed the love and fellowship of the church at Mt. Nebo UMC.
I look forward to welcoming others to the family! So, let’s all pull up a chair
and grow together!
In Christ’s service,
Rev. Pat
